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Are you looking for the best fillet knives? A good fillet knife can be the difference between quickly and efficiently filleting medium and large fish or struggling and spending a long time filleting fish. In this article, we not only reviewed some of the best fillet knives on the market but also discussed the factors to consider when choosing one.

Top Product
KastKing Fillet Knife
  • Razor Sharp
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
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1. KastKing Fillet Knife

KastKing Fillet Knife
  • Razor Sharp
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
Check Price On Amazon

The KastKing fillet knife is made of razor-sharp German stainless steel blades that make it easy and quick to fillet fish. It also features a non-slip super polymer grip that makes holding the knife comfortable. This is a set of fillet knives that includes two 9-inch fillet knives, one 7-inch fillet knife, one 6-inch fillet knife, and one 5-inch bait knife.

What We Like:

Razor Sharp

Durable

Ease of Use

2. BUBBA Cordless Electric Fillet Knife

BUBBA Cordless Electric Fillet Knife
  • Corrosion Resistant
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
  • Non-Slip Grip Handle
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This electric fillet knife can be used to fillet small, medium, and large fish. You benefit from a smooth and safe cut of the fish thanks to its dual-rivet blade design and ergonomic trigger with a guard. Its blades are made of high-carbon stainless steel coated with titanium nitride to render it corrosion-resistant.

What We Like:

Durable

Corrosion Resistant

Non-Slip Grip Handle

Ease of Use

3. Calamus Fillet Knife

Calamus Fillet Knife
  • Corrosion Resistant
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
  • Lightweight
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This 9-inch fillet knife is made of stainless steel German blades that are corrosion-resistant thanks to its durable corrosion-resistant finish. This fillet knife is designed to follow the contours of the fish for a perfect fillet. it can also be used to make more delicate cuts of fish and chicken. This fillet also features a lightweight and slip-resistant golf-style rubber handle.

What We Like:

Durable

Corrosion Resistant

Lightweight

Ease of Use

4. Huntsman Outdoors Fillet Knife

Huntsman Outdoors Fillet Knife
  • Non-Slip Grip
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
  • Dual-Purpose Knife
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The Huntsman Outdoors fillet knife is a 6-inch fillet and skinning knife for hunters. With its thin blade, you get precision and flexibility from this fillet knife. It is a stainless steel knife that is curved to provide a smooth and precise cut. Its blade is also corrosion-resistant. With a slip-resistant handle, you can fillet fish while firmly holding it.

What We Like:

Durable

Non-Slip Grip

Dual-Purpose Knife

Ease of Use

5. KastKing Spartacus Fillet Knife

KastKing Spartacus Fillet Knife
  • Corrosion Resistant
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
  • Slip-Resistant Grip
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The KastKing Spartacus fillet knife is a razor-sharp fillet knife that is made of stainless steel. it is a durable and corrosion-resistant fillet knife. This KastKing knife will quickly and easily fillet fish with you and experience a firm grip thanks to its slip-resistant handle.

What We Like:

Durable

Corrosion Resistant

Slip-Resistant Grip

Ease of Use

6. Bubba Pro Series Electric Fillet Knife

The Bubba Pro Series gives you the performance that an ardent angler will want from a fillet knife. It features 4 Ti-Nitride S.S. coated non-stick reciprocating blades that make the work of filleting large and medium-sized fish an easy and quick task.

Additionally, you benefit from a firm grip thanks to its non-slip grip handle. It also features a trigger guard for more security. It is a durable fillet knife with stainless steel blades. If you are an avid angler who needs a fillet knife to work on a lot of fish on a regular basis, then the Bubba Pro Series should be considered.

What We Like:

Durable

Ease of Use

Powerful

7. Outdoor Edge Fillet Knife

Outdoor Edge Fillet Knife
  • Erognomic Handles
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
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The Outdoor Edge fillet knife is a 5-piece that includes a 6-inch, a 7.5-inch, a 9.5-inch fillet knife, a two-stage sharpener, and a hard case. The knives are razor sharp and are made of German stainless steel blades. These knives also feature an ergonomic TPE non-slip handle.

This fillet knife set provides all the tools you need to quickly and efficiently fillet a lot of fish if you are a serious angler who catches a lot of fish with other anglers.

What We Like:

Durable

Ergonomic Handles

Ease of Use

8. Kershaw Curved Fillet Knife

Kershaw Curved Fillet Knife
  • High Performance Steel
  • Durable
  • Ease of Use
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This is a 9-inch curved fillet knife with razor-sharp stainless steel blades. It can be used for medium and large fresh and saltwater fish. The stainless steel blades are corrosion resistant which renders them durable and withstand the work of filleting fish regularly without getting dull. It also features a durable glass-filled nylon handle with a textured over mold and a K-texture grip.

What We Like:

Durable

High-Performance Steel

9. Rapala Electric Fillet Knife

The Rapala electric fillet knife is a heavy-duty fillet knife that can be used to fillet a lot of fish from medium to large sizes. It features the speed and power to quickly fillet large fish.

What We Like:

Powerful

Durable

Ease of Use

How to Sharpen A Filleting Knife

Like any other knife, a fillet knife can be sharpened although it is a slightly different method to sharpen fillet knives because of their shapes. There are three main methods to sharpen a fillet knife: a tabletop sharpener, a whetstone, and a grinding wheel.

  1. Tabletop Sharpener

2. Whetstone

3. Grinding Wheel

Types of Fillet Knives

  1. Manual Fillet Knife

Manual fillet knives require your physical strength to move through the fish to separate the flesh from the skin.

2. Electric Fillet Knife

Electric fillet knives have electric motors to provide the power needed to fillet the fish.

What To Look For When Choosing A Fillet Knife

  1. Blade Material

The composition of the blade is one of the important factors to consider when choosing a fillet knife. The two common blade materials are carbon steel and stainless steel. Carbon steel blades are harder and require more maintenance as it is not highly corrosion and rust-resistant. However, carbon steel blades are long-lasting because it is durable.

Stainless steel blades are more corrosion and rust-resistant. As a result, they don’t require a lot of maintenance like carbon steel blades. However, stainless steel blades are not as sharp as carbon steel blades. Hence, when choosing a fillet knife based on the blade material, you want to take these into consideration and choose what is most important to you.

2. Blade Thickness

The thickness of the blade is another important factor to consider when choosing a fillet knife. The thickness will determine how flexible the fillet knife is when it comes to following the contours of the fish and separating the flesh from the skin. The thicker the blade, the more rigid it is, and the thinner it is, the more flexible it will be.

3. Blade Length

Most fillet knife blades come in the range of 6 to 11 inches. The length of the blade will determine the size of the fish that you can fillet. For medium to large fish, a blade length in the range of 7 to 11 inches will work.

4. Blade Shape

The shape of the fillet knife is also important when choosing one. There are fillet knives that are curved while others are not curved. A curved edge allows you to use the entire length of the cutting edge to quickly and easily fillet a fish.

5. Bevel

How much bevel a fillet knife has is also very important. The bevel helps determine how razor-sharp the edge of the knife will be to pierce the flesh and separate it from the skin. Most fillet knives have a bevel between 12 and 17 degrees.

6. Tang

Tang is another important factor that helps determine how durable is the fillet knife. There are full tang and partial tang. A full tang knife has the steel of the blade running through the entire handle. This design renders a balanced feel and provides more control. You will save more of the fish flesh when you fillet or skin the fish.

Partial tang knives have the steel of the blade run halfway. As a result, you can’t apply a lot of pressure on the knife or it could get broken. A half-tang fillet knife may not be the best option to fillet a large fish.

7. Handle Material

The material of the knife handle is another factor to consider when choosing a knife. Most fillet knives have wooden, plastic, or rubber handles. Wooden handles are harder to maintain and could feel slippery when you are filleting a fish. Additionally, the wood may soak up odor from the fish and emit a bad odor.

Plastic and rubber handles have a firmer grip than wooden handles and they don’t keep odors. Most plastic and rubber handles are designed to be ergonomic which makes it easier to use them for a long period of time. They are easier to clean and come in different colors.

8. Safety

Some fillet knives have a safety feature to keep your fingers from the blade while cutting. These finger guards are found on the top of the handle, right behind the heel of the blade.

Best Fillet Knives

What should I look for in a filleting knife?
WHen choosing a fillet knife, look at the blade material, blade length, thickness, bevel, shape, tang, handle material, and safety features.
What is the best size for a fillet knife??
A fillet knife wit a length between 7 to 9 inches will fillet medium and large fish.
How can you tell if a fillet knife is sharp?
To determine if the blade of a fillet knife is sharp, gently tap the edge of the blade against your fingernail. If the knife is sharp, the blade will cut into the fingernail. If it is dull, it willslide off or deflect.
How often should you sharpen a fillet knife?
You should sharpen a fillet knife once a year or more than once a year if you use it often to fillet fish.
Do you wet a stone before sharpening a knife?
If you are using a whetstone, it has to be wet. Soak it for about 45 minutes before using it to sharpen the knife.
Is it better to push or pull when sharpening a knife?
When sharpening a knife, push the point you want to sharpen with your first three fingers. While keeping the angle and pushing the point with your fingers, stroke the blade until it reaches the other edge of the whetstone. At this point, pull the blade back until it reaches the edge of the whetstone.
How many strokes does it take to sharpen a dull knife?
When sharpening a knife, do 5 strokes per side and check the knife. Whatever number of strokes you do on one side, do the same number on the other side. Additionally, don’t alternate sides with each stroke as this makes it more difficult to maintain your angle or find a burr.

The Bottom Line

Fillet knives make the job easier to fillet or skin a fish. With so many brands and models of fillet knives on the market today, we reviewed some of the best fillet knives to give you an insight into what to look for to find the right one for your needs. If you are interested in fishing reels and cast nets, then read the best fishing reels and the best cast nets.

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